It’s a snowy February in Berlin. As I sit under a blanket with hot chocolate in hand, I’m reflecting on the journey that brought me here. This is the story of how I went from working in Peru to landing a software engineering role in Europe.
My Career Path: The Foundation
I graduated as a Software Engineer in 2013, but I’d already been working since 2011. For eight years, I worked continuously until 2019, when I took a deliberate six-month break to recharge and prepare for my next move.
The Early Years (2011-2014) I started with a C++ developer internship, then transitioned to full-stack development at the same company. A year later, I landed my first full-time role, building websites with jQuery and Java. During this time, I focused on small to medium projects for Peruvian companies—solid experience that built my foundation.
Going International (2014-2017) My first international opportunity came with a US-based company. This was transformative: large-scale projects, distributed teams, and working entirely in English. The challenges pushed me to grow rapidly as both a developer and communicator. This is where I truly became a web developer.
Leveling Up (2017-2019) Next, I joined a Canadian company with operations in Peru. The scale increased again—more customers, bigger impact. While building a new web application from scratch, I deepened my knowledge of architecture, software design, security, and design systems.
Berlin (2020-Present) Now I’m in Berlin at an even larger company serving international customers. The complexity is fascinating: internationalization, country-specific legal requirements, varying customer behaviors and needs across markets. Our team represents over 80 nationalities, making every day a cross-cultural collaboration.
How to Stand Out: Getting a Job in Europe
European tech companies receive thousands of applications from around the world. Standing out isn’t optional—it’s essential.
I’d dreamed of working abroad for years, but it wasn’t until September 2019 that I committed fully to making it happen. The move wasn’t simple, but I’d been preparing for years without fully realizing it. Here are the strategies that worked for me.
Build Your Online Presence
A personal website helps recruiters see you as a complete person, not just a resume. Show your interests, current projects, and personality alongside your technical skills. Include an “About me” section that goes beyond your work history.
You don’t need anything fancy—a well-crafted GitHub README works perfectly to start. Multiple recruiters told me they visited my website and found it helpful in their decision to reach out.
Attend Tech Conferences
Starting in 2017, I made conferences a priority. The trick? Scholarships. Programs like Google Conference Scholarships opened doors to major conferences I couldn’t have afforded otherwise (tickets, flights, and accommodation add up fast). Don’t see your target conference listed? Check their website for “Inclusivity Grants” or “Diversity Scholarships”—many run their own programs. And if your employer offers professional development funds, use them.
Why conferences matter:
Stay current: Not all talks get published online, and those that do often appear months later. Conference attendance gives you immediate access to cutting-edge ideas.
Network with industry leaders: I’ve had conversations with people like Jack Dorsey (where I nervously asked about Twitter’s five-year vision) and Chris Heilmann (who shared the story of proposing to rebuild IE with Chromium). These moments are invaluable.
Expand your perspective: Meeting developers from around the world exposes you to different approaches and problem-solving strategies. Learning what other companies are building can spark ideas for your own work. I had countless “aha!” moments that I brought back to my team, energized and full of new possibilities.
Give Tech Talks
Yes, public speaking is terrifying. I still get nervous before every talk. But the benefits far outweigh the anxiety.
Why speak publicly:
Give back: Your experience matters. Whether you’re sharing a conference insight with your local community or explaining how you solved a tricky problem, someone will learn from you.
Deepen your knowledge: Preparing a talk forces you to research thoroughly. I always understand a topic better after teaching it.
Gain visibility: Speaking establishes you as an active community member and makes you more memorable to recruiters and potential employers.
Volunteer in Tech
Volunteering serves dual purposes: it helps your community while developing skills that employers value. From my experience, US and European companies particularly appreciate volunteer work—it reveals your character, interests, and what you care about beyond code. It’s another powerful way to differentiate yourself.
Craft Your CV and LinkedIn Profile
Switch to English: This was game-changing for me. After updating my LinkedIn profile to English, recruiter messages from different countries flooded in and my website traffic surged internationally.
Show impact, not buzzwords: Skip generic terms and demonstrate real results. Answer these questions in your experience section:
- What did you accomplish?
- What was your measurable impact?
- What technologies did you use?
Keep it concise and quantified. For example: “Improved web app performance by 25%, achieving 90/100 Lighthouse score.”
Make scanning easy: Recruiters review hundreds of applications. They won’t spend more than 30 seconds on your CV unless something catches their eye. Highlight your key achievements. Use bold text strategically. Make your impact immediately visible.
Be honest: You’ll be asked to elaborate on everything in your CV during interviews. Exaggerating helps no one.
Ace the Interview
When you land an interview, preparation is non-negotiable. You applied to this company for a reason—make sure you can articulate it.
Company research questions (prepare these first):
- Why do you want to work here specifically?
- What do you know about our company, product, and culture?
Experience questions (have specific examples ready):
- What was your most challenging project?
- Which project are you most proud of, and why?
Don’t wait until the interview to think through these answers. Scrambling to remember details mid-interview creates unnecessary stress and can undermine your performance. Write out your stories beforehand.
Take the Leap
If you’re reading this and dreaming of working abroad, start now. Apply for that job. Build your website. Submit that conference proposal.
The journey won’t be linear or easy, but it’s absolutely possible. Trust yourself, prepare intentionally, and embrace the process.
Your international career is waiting.
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